Faces – The Flamehttps://abtheflame.net
Tue, 14 Aug 2018 15:39:02 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8https://abtheflame.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cropped-favicon-32x32.pngFaces – The Flamehttps://abtheflame.net
3232Joselito Delos Reyes: Education with a dose of laughterhttps://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/05/joselito-delos-reyes-education-with-a-dose-of-laughter/
https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/05/joselito-delos-reyes-education-with-a-dose-of-laughter/#respondThu, 31 May 2018 15:05:34 +0000http://abtheflame.net/?p=3172By MARK JOSEPH B. FERNANDEZ and JULIA MARI T. ORNEDO HIS NAME had probably popped up on your Facebook feed at least once. Joselito Delos Reyes’ posts are hard to scroll past as they often contain witty jokes, nuggets of wisdom, or heartwarming stories about his family, which had easily earned him over 16,000 followers …]]>

By MARK JOSEPH B. FERNANDEZ and JULIA MARI T. ORNEDO

photo by CAMILLE JANE C. ESCUBIO

HIS NAME had probably popped up on your Facebook feed at least once. Joselito Delos Reyes’ posts are hard to scroll past as they often contain witty jokes, nuggets of wisdom, or heartwarming stories about his family, which had easily earned him over 16,000 followers on the platform.

Contrary to what his profile indicates, however, Delos Reyes does not work at “E di sa poso mo, beyb,” nor does he teach “rihgt and ferpect grammers.” When he is not online, the Department of Literature chairperson is either shaping the minds of young writers or crafting another literary piece to add to his award-winning body of work.

Kindling lifelong passions

Before venturing into the vast world of literature, Delos Reyes was first an avid reader and a self-taught comedian. His interest in both literature and humor developed during his high school years.

Seated on his office desk with his dimpled smile never leaving his face, Delos Reyes recalls how reading the works of literary giants such as F. Sionil Jose and Carlos Bulosan emboldened him to begin writing his own masterpieces.

The Literature professor shares that his interest in humor, on the other hand, was piqued by his cousin, whose impeccable sense of humor that could command the attention of a room compensated for his lack of good looks.

He then began to study humor intensively, devouring one joke book after another until he knew hundreds of wisecracks by heart. In no time, he graduated from joke book humor to contextual jokes which would later on become his trademark as a writer.

What started out as mere curiosities for the young Jowie eventually evolved into lifelong passions. He continued penning literary works at his own pleasure, occasionally injecting them with humor, not knowing that these would lead him to another pursuit.

Exploring different avenues

Aside from being an aspiring litterateur who dreamt of becoming the Filipino Bill Bryson—a humor creative non-fiction writer whom he idolized—Delos Reyes also took up Secondary Education in Social Science at the Philippine Normal University.

However, he realized that teaching was not the career he wanted to pursue when he finally obtained his degree after eight years.

He instead tried jobs not related to his degree: he worked as a project manager in an information technology (IT) company, as a training officer in a money remittance firm, and even as an employee under a local government unit.

Delos Reyes’ endeavors outside the world of the academe did not last long. Just as he was about to get regularized in the IT company, he fell into a sickness that forced him to take a month-long leave from work. At this point, his wife Angela took the wheel and steered the literary writer’s career to the right course. “Baka kailangan mo nang magturo,’” he recalls his wife saying.

Despite having a stable job as an educator, Delos Reyes still wrote poems out of his “sheer passion for writing,” a habit which he still brought with him when he transferred to University of Santo Tomas to teach literature.

After almost eight years of teaching in the University, the professor admits it has become harder in this age of social media to nurture future literary artists, especially students who are only taking up literature courses as a minor requisite.

As the Department of Literature gears up for the debut of the AB Creative Writing program in the academic year 2018 to 2019, Delos Reyes expresses his confidence in the faculty’s ability to teach future creative writing students.

Hopeful about the valuable teachings the program will instill to the students, Delos Reyes is pumped to relearn the courses he will need to teach next academic year, like an amateur writer trying to find his niche in literary arts.

“Dapat may sense of social responsibility na ‘yung mga students, ‘yung tipong aid sa society ‘yung mga isusulat din nila. It should affect the people and the society. Hindi lang dapat tayo magaling na makata, dapat magaling din tayo makipagkapwa tao,” he muses before he returns to the pile of papers on his desk. F

]]>https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/05/joselito-delos-reyes-education-with-a-dose-of-laughter/feed/0Aleia Anies: Conquering battles through wordshttps://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/04/aleia-anies-conquering-battles-through-words/
https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/04/aleia-anies-conquering-battles-through-words/#respondMon, 16 Apr 2018 11:11:27 +0000http://abtheflame.net/?p=3219By SYRAH VIVIEN J. INOCENCIO AT FIRST glance, Aleia Anies may seem like she’s a tough nut to crack, but as her plum-painted lips turn into a smile, people will think otherwise. Despite being diagnosed with Bipolar II disorder, a mental illness that causes episodes of depression and abnormally elevated mood or mania, the Communication …]]>

By SYRAH VIVIEN J. INOCENCIO

Aleia Anies. photo by MARIELLE FRANCHESCA L. SANTIAGO

AT FIRST glance, Aleia Anies may seem like she’s a tough nut to crack, but as her plum-painted lips turn into a smile, people will think otherwise. Despite being diagnosed with Bipolar II disorder, a mental illness that causes episodes of depression and abnormally elevated mood or mania, the Communication Arts senior proves that nothing can stop her from achieving her goal.

In her childhood years, she already considered herself an artist. Her vivid imagination brought her into the arts of painting, drawing, and writing stories.

“Generally, I was a very artistic person, ever since pa talaga. So, growing up, I had this outlet. That’s what I was drawn to— arts,” she shared.

The young artist took most of her inspiration from the books she read and loved. Between the pages, she found strength to rise above her nightmares.

“I had a very depressing childhood. Maraming nangyari sa ’kin na, basically, was traumatic. [Reading] is where I draw most of my strength from. […] I look back on my childhood with a certain type of bitterness that one would have when one goes through traumatic experiences. My experiences are as rare as the sentences you’ll find ‘peculiar’ in.”

Her metamorphosis

Making light of her dark days, Anies turned her struggles into words. Through the right words, her bitter memories became beautiful literary pieces compiled in a book she called Blood Evacuation.

“I got the title Blood Evacuation from a song by Pierce The Veil. They used to be my favorite band. […] I wanted to sort of thank them for getting me through the bad and ugly,” she said.

Anies began writing parts of the book in her second year in high school. Her work, which was published in 2017, gave her the push she needed during the lowest point of her life.

“I am most proud of my book, Blood Evacuation, kasi it summarizes all my experiences and it’s just there. You can read all my experiences in one seating. […] I’m most proud of [it] kasi it gave me a sense of hope,” she shared.

Finding refuge in writing

For Anies, both love and mental health made her book special. Amid heart breaks, self-struggles, and gloomy days, writing became her stronghold.

“It helped me cope with depression and anxiety. It helped me get through the bad days, even if I was barely getting through them. I really think na without writing, I wouldn’t be here right now,” Anies uttered.

Aside from writing, the love and support she receives from her family and friends also help her in her battle with Bipolar II disorder.

Love made her get back on her feet, pushing her to improve herself. However, Anies believes that the love she receives from others will not be enough. “Kailangan ikaw mismo, you have the will and the drive to become a better version of yourself.”

Aleia Anies. photo by MARIELLE FRANCHESCA L. SANTIAGO

Battling mental illness

For Anies, talking about mental health will never be easy. Nonetheless, she believes that the more people bring light to this sensitive topic, the more it will help in eradicating the stigma attached to it.

“I think it’s vital that stories like mine are put out into the world so that more people are aware, more people become aware that things like this happen on a daily basis to a lot of people,” she stressed.

Asking for help is not a walk in the park for a lot of people but it is the most important step second to acceptance for her. She tells those who are still battling their mental illnesses that it gets worse before it gets better and it takes a whole lot of courage to face it.

“First, learn to accept the fact that there is a problem. Second, ask for help from someone who will acknowledge it. Third, don’t be ashamed or afraid of judgement or what other people will think,” she emphasized.

A day at a time

Anies’ daily experiences are not always an easy ride. Being diagnosed with the disorder, her mood swings largely affect her and the people around her.

“What keeps me going is my family. Mawala na lahat, ‘wag lang sila. Kasi they have been with me throughout this journey and they will be with me until the very end,” she said.

Thinking of the future may be encouraging to some, however, it’s the other way around for the young writer.

“You can choose the future but if you choose to think of what’s happening today, it’s more feasible, it’s much more concrete kasi it’s today, it’s going to happen, it’s happening,” she said. F

]]>https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/04/aleia-anies-conquering-battles-through-words/feed/0AB Guidance Counselors: Rendering service with a genuine hearthttps://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/04/ab-guidance-counselors-rendering-service-with-a-genuine-heart/
https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/04/ab-guidance-counselors-rendering-service-with-a-genuine-heart/#respondMon, 02 Apr 2018 09:11:42 +0000http://abtheflame.net/?p=3181“GUIDANCE COUNSELOR ‘yan. Hindi ‘yan maniniwala sa’yo. May [halong] judgement na nila ‘yan.” This perception is what guidance counselors of the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) usually hear from students. Along with similar views, this refrain Artlets from visiting them, thinking that only the gravest problems are needed to be addressed by counselors. Little …]]>Carmen Quesada and Zyra Angeles. photo by KRISTELA DANIELLE S. BOO

This perception is what guidance counselors of the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) usually hear from students. Along with similar views, this refrain Artlets from visiting them, thinking that only the gravest problems are needed to be addressed by counselors.

Little do they know that counselors like Carmen “Chatt” Quesada and Zyra Angeles work to help solve students’ personal dilemmas and usher them to be the best they could be.The Faculty’s guidance counselors willingly offer Artlets their open arms and give them their brightest smiles.

“Ang role namin [ay i-]facilitate kayo to be on your own and to be able to become the person you want to be,” Quesada says.

Coming from the heart

In her 23 years of being a guidance counselor at the University of Santo Tomas, Quesada has heard every misconception students have towards her profession.

“I never wanted to be assigned in AB. I [used to] hate to be here. Anywhere except AB,” she shares, reminiscing her first few years as guidance counselor in the Faculty.

Her unpleasant idea about AB’s environment was greatly affected by how her daughter became “rebellious” during her stay in the Faculty. However, with the determination to understand the Artlet culture, Quesada’s perception was soon stood corrected.

Just as she learned to love Psychology more than Chemistry, her first program during college, she slowly learned to open her heart to the Artlet community. She explains that Artlets drastically proved to her that AB is different from what she thought it was.

“Now that I’m here, I won’t leave [AB] for anything. I want to be with [the Artlets] and help [them],” she proudly says. She believes the Artlets themselves keep her motivated to do her job of helping students.

More than just a profession, the counseling they do is fueled by their love for helping the lives of the students. “Imagine being paid for something you enjoy doing and being of service, of helping. ‘Pag tumutulong ka sa kapwa mo, nakakataba ng puso ‘yun,” she says.

Following the path

It all started with fate and sheer interest. Angeles was studying nursing for a year and a half until she began to realize it was not the profession meant for her.

As someone who values time, work environment, and salary, she thought nursing was her best option. Contrary to her expectations, it turned out to be more than just giving injections and wearing white uniform. To make things more complicated, she found out that she has a fear of blood.

After taking a series of tests and consultations from her school’s guidance office, she began to realize her calling. “[I] found out na mas in line ako sa helping profession,” she recalls. “[I] could clearly visualize myself helping other students [and] parents sa academe or sa school setting.”

With a clear decision, she turned to psychology and pursued guidance counselling. Despite seeing the profession as a challenge, it became a motivating factor for her to improve the skills needed in her role of providing support for students facing different issues.

However, just like their counselees, she believes guidance counselors also need people by their side, especially when their profession affects their private life.

“Kami kina-counsel niyo [pero] kayo, sino po counselor niyo?” Angeles recalls a student asking her. It is inevitable for guidance counselors to get carried away with their profession, so whenever she thinks that she needs to vent out her emotions, she talks to her family and friends.

“Kasi normal din ‘yung mga nararamdaman namin. We also feel sad, we also get disappointed [and] frustrated,” she explains.

Carmen Quesada and Zyra Angeles. photo by KRISTELA DANIELLE S. BOO

Devoted and committed

Despite continuously working on addressing misconceptions about their work, being able to attend to the concerns of students and help them recover throughout the process remains as Quesada and Angeles’ priority.

Making every student smile after a counseling session, in turn, remains a challenge yet a great reward for Quesada.

People are fragile but when held together by a strong foundation and a stable support system, their resiliency surfaces. Guidance counselors cannot read minds and fly but they can lift away troubles and save lives. F CRISTINA ELOISA A. BACLIG and LORRAINE B. LAZARO

]]>https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/04/ab-guidance-counselors-rendering-service-with-a-genuine-heart/feed/0SubSelfie: Of and For the Millennialshttps://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/03/subselfie-of-and-for-the-millennials/
https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/03/subselfie-of-and-for-the-millennials/#respondMon, 12 Mar 2018 10:09:09 +0000http://abtheflame.net/?p=3127THE NOISY and distracting environment was silenced by their voices of love and dedication for stories. Journalism alumnae Lian Nami Buan and Apple Gamboa never felt short for words; they both share a love for their craft not even the pressure and restraint of the newsroom can take away from them. As part of the …]]>Apple Gamboa and Lian Nami Buan. photo by KATHLEEN MAE I. GUERRERO

THE NOISY and distracting environment was silenced by their voices of love and dedication for stories. Journalism alumnae Lian Nami Buan and Apple Gamboa never felt short for words; they both share a love for their craft not even the pressure and restraint of the newsroom can take away from them.

As part of the journalism field, Buan and Gamboa’s drive to change how things are viewed in the world continues on and off-duty through their stories. However, these were limited by the airing time of the media outlet they used to work for.

Soon, they also ventured in the online world to air their voices out. Their blog SubSelfie became their tool of release.

“By telling the story, mabibigyan natin ng pagkakataon ‘yung talagang may direct capability to help [people] better,” Buan shares. “[Katulad ng] pagsingil ng accountability sa gobyerno, we didn’t directly help the community but we help pave the way for the government to help them.”

Stories for millennials, by millennials

For Buan and Gamboa, working for a media company and writing stories for news programs can be very time-consuming and demanding. Although adventures beyond the newsroom allowed them to encounter many people with different compelling stories, both of them knew some of these stories will never be able to make the cut due to the strict formats their news programs follow.

Their passion for writing, backed by their unfading Artlet spirit, soon inspired them to pursue an avenue share their narratives without hindrances and setbacks. Through the suggestion of their colleague Bam Alegre, they, along with other colleagues, materialized SubSelfie.com.

SubSelfie.com became more than just a blog for them—it serves as their passion project. Digging deeper into their own experiences and taking selfies in the form of articles instead of pictures are what Buan and Gamboa incorporate in their stories. Their works recount adventures beyond the newsroom. Each is written with an effort to transform into a relatable and significant narrative.

SubSelfie’s associate editor believes that using the first-person narrative in their stories creates a closer and personal touch to their readers. Their stories such as We are the Yayas of the World and My Father’s Promise leave a heartfelt material that captures the audience’s emotions.

“[P]ag may nag-message sa’yo, [you begin to think]‘This is why I’m doing my job.’ It’s for this and not for anyone else,” Buan adds.

A fresh sound

In line with the issues transpiring in the country, being critical and aware are something both of them do. “You have to respond to time so parang nakakahiya namang magpa-cute in this volatile times. [Y]ou have to step up bilang journalist,” Buan says.

More than writing about events that leave an impact to the country, they also promote inclusivity for the millennials.

“We advocate for always listening to young people kasi they have fresh ideas and they’re living in this very interesting time,” Buan says. “Marami kang matututunan mula sa mga bata and I think that’s a very important thing to protect—[t]he voice of the critical youth. FCRISTINA ELOISA A. BACLIG and LORRAINE B. LAZARO

]]>https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/03/subselfie-of-and-for-the-millennials/feed/0Bernardo Bernardo: Rising from the rubblehttps://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/03/bernardo-bernardo-rising-from-the-rubble/
https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/03/bernardo-bernardo-rising-from-the-rubble/#respondThu, 08 Mar 2018 06:10:53 +0000http://abtheflame.net/?p=3094BERNARDO BERNARDO is 72 years old, but he has only just begun. The actor has starred in various theater plays, movies, and television shows, but his most challenging role was one that he never played on-screen—that of a comedian grappling with crippling depression. Years after he defeated his demons, Bernardo is back on track and …]]>photo by KRISTELA DANIELLE S. BOO

BERNARDO BERNARDO is 72 years old, but he has only just begun.

The actor has starred in various theater plays, movies, and television shows, but his most challenging role was one that he never played on-screen—that of a comedian grappling with crippling depression.

Years after he defeated his demons, Bernardo is back on track and his love for theater is stronger than it has ever been.

Made for the spotlight

Although Bernardo was a Journalism major, his heart belonged to the stage. As a member of the former University-wide theatric organization Aquinas Dramatic Guild, he would often portray fictional characters beneath the bright lights.

After he graduated in 1966, he moved to the United States to take up his master’s degree in Dramatic Arts at the University of California-Santa Barbara. His return to the Philippines four years later would mark the beginning of his long journey in the glitzy world of show business.

Showbiz was kind to the new artist when he entered the industry in 1973. One of Bernardo’s biggest roles that launched him to fame was bringing the character of Steve Carpio to life in the long-running sitcom, Home Along da Riles, where he starred alongside the late King of Comedy Dolphy Quizon.

However, after a few years, Bernardo slowly began to suffer the blows of misfortune.

“I was kicked out of the production [of Home Along da Riles] three times,” he narrates. “[It was] Dolphy [who] kept taking me back.”

Even though he was among the top billing actors of his time, he noticed that his income sank gradually while his colleagues continuously earned more.

Victimized by the brutal politics of showbiz, the actor was left helpless since he “did not belong to the inner circle [of celebrities].”

Closing the curtains

Slowly being driven to depression by his toxic work environment, Bernardo decided to return to the US, hoping that a change in sight would help him gain new perspectives in life.

“People would come to me when they have problems, and I would make them laugh, give [them] advice. Pero when I was living in the States, ako ‘yung walang support system. That’s a major thing,” he explains.

The actor sought help immediately after suspecting that he might be depressed and feeling like he was “going slightly crazy.” He later found out that he had a mild bipolar syndrome.

Bernardo was unwilling to take medication because he saw its effects on his friends who also suffered mental disorders. “’Yung ngiti nila, kakaiba. […] Kasi natanggal ‘yung symptoms, pero ‘yung sakit, hindi.”

He instead chose to go to a detoxification center, and he has been better since. Finally free from the negativity that once weighed him down, Bernardo rediscovered his love for acting and writing and reinvented himself.

A rekindling of passions

Upon his sister’s suggestion, Bernardo moved back to the Philippines to escape the racial discrimination that limited his opportunities, and to remedy the homesickness that his sister suspected to be the root of his depression.

“‘Pag may kulay ka sa Amerika, hirap ka. So eventually, sabi ng sister ko, ‘maybe the solution is for you to go home.’ I did. I followed her, and sunud-sunod naman ang blessings,” he shares.

The actor has been an unstoppable force ever since he returned, having been “working non-stop since 2014.”

He has since starred in various movies and theater plays, from the Shakespearean play HaringLear to the film Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis directed by Lav Diaz.

A return to the stage

The actor speaks of his depression matter-of-factly, as though he looks back on it not as a period of weakness, but as an obstacle he triumphantly overcame through strength. The mental illness may have been cruel, but it taught Bernardo significant life lessons.

“You don’t wait for opportunity, I learned. You have to make opportunity. Pick yourself up from wherever you are and move. If you don’t move, nothing happens,” he encourages.

“I feel so grateful kasi at my age of 72, parang I’m a ‘come-backing’ actor at 70. That’s not easy,” Bernardo enthuses, his eyes shining.

He is thankful for the people who became his beacons of hope during his dark times, saying “it’s the support system that makes you strong. ‘Yung isang play na ginawa ko has a very important line: ‘Feelings, sensations are fleeting. It is relationships that matter.'”

He is now working on a book that would chronicle the struggles he endured and the lessons that he learned from them.

“There are certain things about the past that should be relived […] The best step to take, I think, is to merge the best of the past and the best of the present, with your eyes looking towards the future.” F JULIA MARI T. ORNEDO with reports from KOBE ADAM JOSHUA S. LAURENA

]]>https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/03/bernardo-bernardo-rising-from-the-rubble/feed/0Karol Ilagan: Seeing the world through inquisitive eyeshttps://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/02/karol-ilagan-seeing-the-world-through-inquisitive-eyes/
https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/02/karol-ilagan-seeing-the-world-through-inquisitive-eyes/#respondTue, 06 Feb 2018 15:28:51 +0000http://abtheflame.net/?p=2922THE QUIET halls of the St. Raymund de Peñafort building leave an empty room filled only by a petite and simple individual, a discerning figure with eyes full of wonder and curiosity. As a journalist who goes beyond reporting the obvious, Karol Ilagan now faces the challenges of the world with a wider perspective, utilizing …]]>photo by ANA BARBARA S. SAN DIEGO

THE QUIET halls of the St. Raymund de Peñafort building leave an empty room filled only by a petite and simple individual, a discerning figure with eyes full of wonder and curiosity.

As a journalist who goes beyond reporting the obvious, Karol Ilagan now faces the challenges of the world with a wider perspective, utilizing her skills in investigative journalism. She commits her curious mind to uncover the truth of an issue to contribute to change.

“There are many ways for you to be able to serve the public and help other people. For me, I see journalism as difficult but I think it’s a potent way for me to be of service, to be able to contribute to positive change,” she says.

A nose to the grindstone

Given the challenges of politics, society, and the world, Ilagan believes digging deeper to the problem can help find a way to solve it.

“You see a lot of problems. You want to write about those problems para maintindihan ng tao,” she shares. Her inquisitiveness to piece together missing links of stories soon impelled her to investigative reporting, choosing the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) as her bridge.

“Kasi kung investigative reporting, I would go to PCIJ. At the time when I joined, mahaba na rin ‘yung history [niya] so I want to be a part of an organization [that upholds] the same values and principles [that I have]. I found my path [there],” she says.

Reports that matter

Ilagan believes that there is a certain quality that makes PCIJ different from mainstream media, a quality that helped her love investigative reporting more.

“We focus more on issues [that], to us, are most important, of public interest, and maybe even overlooked,” she says. “Other newspapers are covering other things. Kung doon pa kami sasawsaw, sayang ‘yung hindi nako-cover na ibang issues.”

With the public’s decreasing attention span, PCIJ commits itself to a better approach.

The senior content producer believes that PCIJ can help her bring about change in the country. “We are, I think, an important part to make that change. We do more investigative reporting on the most important issues.”

Indisputably, investigative reporting is a difficult and time-consuming work. Ilagan believes that it is what is needed to solve the problems in the society.

“You want to know how things work but […] it is more than that. Ultimately, ‘pag sinabi mong investigative journalism, watchdog ka, may binabantayan ka: government officials, businesses, offices, [the] Church, or schools. May accountabilities sila. Trabaho mo ang magche-check on that because that’s part of our r o l e naman talaga,” she says.

Experiential change within

Being part of PCIJ for almost a decade, her experiences gave her a broader perspective of the important issues in the country and the world.

“Mas naging conscious ako,” she says. “At the professional level, it helped me a lot because it opened a lot of opportunities for me. It made me realize the importance of my job and encouraged me to do better.”

For Ilagan, investigative journalism is not merely “detective work.” Her intention to connect the dots and propagate the truth allows her to unearth the deeper aspects of an important situation that affects the public.

“Siyempre, curious ka. You want to find out ‘Ano ba talagang nangyari dito?’ I want to know how these programs and projects, how these decisions impact the lives of many or the other way around,” she says.

Change through action

The Journalism instructor from the Faculty of Arts and Letters believes that the gravity of one’s effort in a profession should never be compromised. Instead, it should be done better.

“Maybe you need to do your job better ngayon in the age of social media, in the age of populist and everything. Baka akala mo ‘yung ginagawa mong enough or malaki na before, you have to do even better [now],” she says.

Mainstream media should never be a hindrance to organizations like PCIJ because they are all propelled to one goal: to uncover the truth.

Ilagan believes that the stories one writes necessitates a desired action, eventually inspiring the public to act on the issues at hand.

“[Kapag] may gusto ka, you’re more driven to write about these things because you know something has to be done,” she reiterates. “Maaaring magisa ka lang pero ‘yun palang ginagawa natin also affects other people.” F SYRAH VIVIEN J. INOCENCIO and LORRAINE B. LAZARO

]]>https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/02/karol-ilagan-seeing-the-world-through-inquisitive-eyes/feed/0J. Neil Garcia: Textualizing Realistic Portrayalshttps://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/02/j-neil-garcia-textualizing-realistic-portrayals/
https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/02/j-neil-garcia-textualizing-realistic-portrayals/#respondTue, 06 Feb 2018 15:15:20 +0000http://abtheflame.net/?p=2919By CRISTINA ELOISA A. BACLIG BITTERSWEET. This is how J. Neil Garcia describes the life of homosexuals in the Philippines. As a creative writer, to write well is always the primary concern for his works. But as an author of LGBT literature, works about homosexuality are important in challenging the stigma of being non-normative on …]]>

By CRISTINA ELOISA A. BACLIG

photo by KOBE ADAM JOSHUA S. LAURENA

BITTERSWEET. This is how J. Neil Garcia describes the life of homosexuals in the Philippines.

As a creative writer, to write well is always the primary concern for his works. But as an author of LGBT literature, works about homosexuality are important in challenging the stigma of being non-normative on gender and sexuality. The Journalism alumnus asserts that challenging and eventually destroying the stigma is possible by confronting homophobia and prejudice head-on.

Inspiration drawn from self-estrangement

Before he knew of his homosexual identity and wrote pieces on homosexuality, he always wrote about his feelings. “I remember being different, not necessarily in a sexual sense, back when I was very young. I believe I’ve always written out of this ‘estrangement,’ this sense and/or sentiment of being different,” Garcia says.

At an early age, Garcia‘s profound grief of being separated from his best friend Hazel inspired him to write his first poem.

To continue writing truthfully, he made himself aware that he is different from other individuals. He started to embrace his uniqueness and, along with gender and sexuality, incorporate it as a theme for his works.

Oscar Wilde, Andre Gide, Edmund White, and Allen Ginsberg initially inspired the multi-awarded writer to start writing about homosexuality. However, it was in his sophomore year at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) when he solidified his interest.

After an invitation from his Humanities professor, he attended the lecture of local filmmaker Nick Deocampo, who showcased an exhibit of homoerotic images and poems at the Goethe-Institut. Garcia saw the acclaimed Deocampo read his “gay and sexually frank” poems on stage—a moment that moved him to write about homosexuality.

“Literature is one of the most effective ways of creating empathy because it allows us to become all kinds of people. [W]hen we read a story or a poem, we are incarnated, as it were, reborn into the perspectives of characters we are not and literally cannot be,” he explains.

LGBT literature, for Garcia, is the most efficient way to represent the LGBT community and explain its difference, which the prevailing bigotry, hatred, and ignorance overshadow, to the larger world.

The continuous struggle of LGBTs caused by the intolerance of society against them and the backlashes against their human rights are just few of the issues that Garcia is facing not only as a homosexual but also as a writer. However, with the inspiration and unconditional love that he receives from the people he knows, Garcia was able to find courage in writing about homosexuality, which inspired many young Filipino LGBTs to discover and embrace their identities.

A new representation

Aside from his poetry collections, one of which includes his most compelling poem titled The Conversion, and his literary and cultural criticism works, Garcia edited the widely known Ladlad, anthologies of Filipino gay writing.

His works made an impact in the Filipino culture by opening the doors for LGBT books, films, plays and other forms of media.

Just like what he wrote in the second Ladlad, perhaps his works portraying the homosexual life exists to remind his readers that there is nothing wrong with homosexuals and just like everybody else, they are also capable of love. Moreover, Garcia wrote how the first edition published in 1994 made the teaching of gay literature classes possible in at least two major universities, and how it became a required reading for Philippine literature courses in the United States.

“Homosexuality is still not mainstreamed or ‘normalized’ enough in the popular spaces of our culture,” Garcia says. He explains that very few images of the bakla in television and films have respectful representations which portray humanized LGBT characters.

For Garcia, his own interactions with and experiences and inspirations from different members of the LGBT community enabled him to portray the diverse and complex face of Filipino LGBT in his works.

Ample room for improvement

Garcia describes his experience in writing LGBT works as “wonderful and exhilarating” and acknowledges his literary pieces as life-altering for Filipino LGBTs. Still, he insists on having more work to be done.

As a professor of English, Creative Writing, and Comparative Literature at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman and an associate for poetry in the UP Institute of Creative Writing, he suggests to incorporate a “gender-sensitive perspective” in teaching literature and integrate LGBT works into the primary readings of literature courses in higher education.

“[W]e need to complement this ‘Canon-building’ project with the promotion of feminist and anti-homophobic critical and pedagogical approaches. This way, whatever text our students may end up encountering both inside and outside the classroom, they will be properly equipped to critique them.”

For young writers who are interested in writing about homosexuality, Garcia advises: “Go ahead, follow your creative and literary bliss. Remember, the question of being an LGBT artist or writer isn’t about preferring certain subjects or themes over others. Ultimately, it’s about the adoption of a simultaneously artistic and critical subject-position that willfully calls out, interrogates, and challenges gender and sexual inequality wherever it may be found.” F

]]>https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/02/j-neil-garcia-textualizing-realistic-portrayals/feed/0Mark Anthony Abenir: Redefining Successhttps://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/02/mark-anthony-abenir-redefining-success/
https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/02/mark-anthony-abenir-redefining-success/#respondTue, 06 Feb 2018 15:00:43 +0000http://abtheflame.net/?p=2916By MARK JOSEPH B. FERNANDEZ and JULIA MARI T. ORNEDO MARK ANTHONY Abenir stands on one side of his office flipping through documents, his tall figure looming over piles of paperwork stacked on the table. He adjusts his black jacket and the black frames perched atop his nose as he walks back to his desk—a …]]>

By MARK JOSEPH B. FERNANDEZ and JULIA MARI T. ORNEDO

photo by ANA BARBARA S. SAN DIEGO

MARK ANTHONY Abenir stands on one side of his office flipping through documents, his tall figure looming over piles of paperwork stacked on the table. He adjusts his black jacket and the black frames perched atop his nose as he walks back to his desk—a vision of a simple man living in his own simple world.

This was not always the kind of life he dreamed of. In high school, Abenir envisioned a future as opulent as the lives of all the celebrities he watched on television—full of grand mansions, luxury cars, and all the riches his heart desired.

However, as he stepped into the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) as a philosophy student, all these plans changed. After spending a week living in a community of Aetas, Abenir realized that happiness and success are not defined by money.

A new perspective

When the University of Santo Tomas’ Simbahayan Community Development Office, formerly called as the Office of Community Development, was formed in 2001, one of its pilot projects is a week-long immersion with Aeta communities in Bambang, Tarlac.

This project did not only mark the beginning of a new chapter in the journey of the University toward forming compassionate Thomasians, but also signaled the start of what would become Abenir’s life-long endeavor in pursuit of a life of service.

“I have my foster parent [in the field]. The food that I ate was root crops and I have to accompany them going to work which [required] walking or hurdling one mountain to be able to reach to the farm area,” he shares.

Yet, amid all the obstacles the Aetas need to hurdle every day just to subsist, they displayed such a simple, genuine happiness that Abenir thought would be difficult to find in a life filled with hardship. It was this same happiness that strengthened his dedication to help others.

“[I]t really made me realize that life can be very difficult [but] people get happy about it. That gave me the kind of purpose na, ‘How can I help these people who, every day in their lives, struggle because unlike us, we have food in the refrigerator?’” he recounts.

Turning words into actions

After graduating from AB in 2003 and obtaining his master’s degree in Community Development and doctorate degree in Social Development at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Abenir returned to his beloved Faculty to teach classes in the Sociology program.

But he is not all talk; when the associate professor is not in the classroom educating the youth or in the library doing research, Abenir works quietly but efficiently, at the Tan Yan Kee Building as the director of Simbahayan.

“The key is to be able to align what you teach [with what you do] […] so I made it a point that what I teach is aligned with what I do in the office,” he shares.

As director, Abenir oversees the implementation of various development projects for UST’s partner communities. Simbahayan offers programs on health, sports, education, and leadership among others.

For him, one of the problems in the world is that only a few give back to their community because of their selfish desires. He says community development addresses this social issue by helping develop humanity in students.

“When we instill [community] projects whereby students are able to participate, they develop that kind of compassion that they do not only serve their own, they do not only serve their families, but they have a role towards nation-building,” he explains.

Understanding true humanity

Abenir believes that taking an active role in community development initiatives can help students appreciate human relations and their humanity, which both constitute the essence of liberal arts education.

“[F]or Artlets, it is vital to be involved in community development because we belong to the humanities and the social sciences, and [in] our profession after graduation, we’re catapulted to be involved with other people and you need a lot of humanistic skills and experience,” he says.

“Community development gives you that opportunity and it is very important for professional growth. At the same time, it makes us become more human,” he adds.

In every lesson he teaches to his students, research he conducts in light of community development, and project he launches to help improve the lives of his countrymen, Abenir’s mission is always one and the same: to be of service to others in the best ways he knows.

“Success is [no longer] of material things; success is all about—at the end of the day—who am I able to help in the best of my capabilities,” Abenir says. “One day, when all of us die, I could speak in front of St. Peter or God [and] when they ask me what did I do for my brethren, I could proudly say that I lived [on] this earth serving my fellow men and women.” F

]]>https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/02/mark-anthony-abenir-redefining-success/feed/0Analiza Yanga: Living a life of servicehttps://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/01/analiza-yanga-living-a-life-of-service/
https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/01/analiza-yanga-living-a-life-of-service/#respondFri, 19 Jan 2018 07:17:42 +0000http://abtheflame.net/?p=2855STUDENTS FROM the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) slowly occupied the hallways of the St. Raymund de Peñafort building as some of the afternoon classes came to end. Asst. Prof. Analiza Yanga left a classroom and calmly walked through the busy hallways toward a different room—not for another lecture—but to do her work for …]]>photo by KOBE ADAM JOSHUA S. LAURENA

STUDENTS FROM the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) slowly occupied the hallways of the St. Raymund de Peñafort building as some of the afternoon classes came to end. Asst. Prof. Analiza Yanga left a classroom and calmly walked through the busy hallways toward a different room—not for another lecture—but to do her work for the AB Community Development (ABCD).

Yanga admits that switching between her work as an educator and as the coordinator for the ABCD can be difficult to handle. Nevertheless, she sees both teaching and community service as things that are very close to her heart. For her, it is “just a matter of managing time” and most importantly, loving and enjoying her work.

Her passion for community service, which started early after adopting teachings from her elementary catechism class, has inspired and encouraged many Artlets through the years.

As she settles into a chair, she cannot help but smile as she reminisces how she was able to overcome her challenging first year as the coordinator of the ABCD in 2013. With AB’s poor performance in community service at that time, her leadership was tested.

Encouraging Artlets to become more aware and involved in community development work became her priority. The coordinator carried out seminars on community service and required organizations in the Faculty to conduct community development projects every school year.

Although it was hard at first, through her resiliency, constant discipline, and support from Artlets, she was able to develop the quality of AB’s community development projects. In her second year as the coordinator—which she describes as an unforgettable year—the ABCD became more recognized.

It was last academic year when the ABCD received a recognition from the UST Simbahayan Community Development Office for the first time.

While it may take years for the changes brought by AB’s community development projects to fully manifest, Yanga shares that the growth of the University’s partner communities also boosted her own. Helping others led her to develop empathy, a trait that set her up for a life dedicated to service.

Yanga’s passion for community development work was a fire that spread out and encompassed the hearts of those who witnessed her in action. During an activity at the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area, one of the volunteers from the community stopped mid-lecture to acknowledge the assistant professor.

“Ay, si Ma’am Yanga! Diyan ko nakuha ‘yung aking inspiration kung bakit ako nag-volunteer,” he said, recounting the time when Yanga was the one standing in his place, conducting a talk about the 2016 presidential election while he listened intently among the crowd.

Although Yanga was born into an average-income family, some of her fondest childhood memories were the days she and her loved ones spent helping out their community. The simple activities she took part in as a child brought her with a life realization she would not discover until adulthood: helping others does not require money.

As she continues her term as the ABCD head, Yanga hopes for more of her plans, one of which is a scholarship program for members of partner communities, to come to fruition. She believes that sustainable and continuous programs related to education are what will truly make an impact in the society in the long run.

“Kasi tayo sa AB, talagang we educate people,” she says. “Teach them how to fish, not just [give] them one fish to live for one day […] para may kakainin sila habambuhay.”

However, Yanga adds that more than just furnishing project proposals, she hopes for all Artlets to take an active role in community development.

]]>https://abtheflame.net/faces/2018/01/analiza-yanga-living-a-life-of-service/feed/0Nerisa del Carmen Guevara: In the eyes of an artisthttps://abtheflame.net/faces/2017/11/nerisa-del-carmen-guevara-in-the-eyes-of-an-artist/
https://abtheflame.net/faces/2017/11/nerisa-del-carmen-guevara-in-the-eyes-of-an-artist/#respondMon, 06 Nov 2017 06:06:58 +0000http://abtheflame.net/?p=2640By LORRAINE B. LAZARO THE BEATING of the drums was the beginning of it all. It was just another ordinary day when the busy streets of Malate transformed into a big stage for Nerisa del Carmen Guevara. As she placed down her teacher’s bag, she began to freely sway with the wind, her movements expressing …]]>

By LORRAINE B. LAZARO

Nerisa del Carmen Guevara. photo by KRISTELA DANIELLE S. BOO

THE BEATING of the drums was the beginning of it all.

It was just another ordinary day when the busy streets of Malate transformed into a big stage for Nerisa del Carmen Guevara. As she placed down her teacher’s bag, she began to freely sway with the wind, her movements expressing all that she is. That defining moment changed her life completely.

Performing had become innate in her. It was her energy that transformed into passion enough to keep her alive. Art had become her life. “If I don’t do what I do, I don’t know if I can still call myself ‘Ms. G’. This is me. It’s more a part of me than my Instagram. This defines me more than anything else,” she says with a warm smile on her face, reminiscing her experiences.

Being influenced by artists like Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa and exposed in encounters with Grace Nono, Cynthia Alexander, Kidlat Tahimik and Rene Aquitania brought out the creative genius in her. “What I love about the friends that I keep close to me, who are artists, is their endurance and persistence in the field. They inspire me to keep on, beyond weight and beyond age, to just do what I need to do without being shy or compromised,” she shares.

Rhyming words

Performance art was not Guevara’s first love. At an early age, she found herself playing with the words of the children’s song “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” “I used to make different versions of the song. I think that was that start of the lyric sequence for me,” she explains. “I replaced words. I found every poem had to sound a particular way. I thought every poem had to rhyme.”

Growing up, her passion for poetry was further enriched. The Thomasian Writers Guild opened her a door of opportunity, developing and honing her skills as a poet. She then met the late Ophelia Alcantara-Dimalanta, her then mentor and second mother, who encouraged her to pursue her craft. Despite being a biology student, it did not hinder Guevara to express her love for poetry.

Her dedication for the art was reinforced in the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB). When she is not attending her classes, she would sneak inside the St. Raymund de Peñafort Building and walk right past the guards to sit in one of the classes in AB. “The guard and I, we didn’t like each other,” she recalls. “The backdoor (formerly known as the cafeteria) is not only the shortcut but it is the best way to enter and kilala na ako noong mga cafeteria people.” Although pursuing a different program, she knew early on that she belongs to the captivating beauty of arts and expression.

Poetry became vital in her life. Every time she writes, she gives it her all, throwing herself to the art and coming up with her very own masterpiece. There is a certain kind of feeling that engages her to createmore, as if a new world was welcoming her. “I love everything that had descriptions and I also aim for that in my own work, that kind of three-dimensional portal,” she says.

Her dedication in writing her poems soon reaped its fruit. In 1995, she became the Thomasian Poet of the Year with a record-breaking grand slam of first, second and third places in the Gawad Ustetika, and received an honorable mention from the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for her poem Chime House.

She was also recognized for her book Reaching Destination: Poems and the Search for Home, taking home the Palanca award for Poetry in English and a Catholic Mass Media Award in 1999 and 2005, respectively.

Bagging these achievements helped her explore the depth of what she could still do in art, whatever medium it may be.

Gestures of art

“I have a short attention span that’s why I move through different art forms,” she says. Guevara turned to performance art what she can’t express in poetry.

In 2012, she started doing performances that focuses on a form called “elegy.” “It’s still poetry but its gestures,” she describes. The elegies she does are durational art with intensified emotions of mourning, grief and loss.

Guevara explains that performance art requires thorough planning—the image that the performance revolves around, the props to be used, and the time and space to create are all taken into consideration. The process of making a particular piece is both challenging and exciting, usually taking her a week to six months to produce one.

A staggering amount of time, effort and passion is devoted to her performances. When doing a performance art, she prepares her body and mind to carry an amount of physical endurance to attend to the piece because, for her, “You can’t leave the art until it’s finished; the art needs you more.”

Self-awareness plays a vital role in every art she makes. The events transpiring around her contribute to the pieces she produces. She shares that if extrajudicial killings are not happening, she would not be producing a lot of elegies.

She believes that, as an artist, one should not close himself or herself from the happenings in the country; being an artist should be rooted in all the beauty and pain of these events.

The tragedies of her life, specifically the death of her partner from a gunshot, shaped her and brought out the fighter in her. “There is a part of me that refuses to die. I tell myself ‘I don’t want to die today. What do I do to not die today?’ I’ll do this. I want to do performances,” Guevara asserts.

Stirring passion

More than being an artist, she is as equally passionate about teaching. The associate professor from AB Department of Literature hopes to teach her students how to appreciate art and renew people’s perception about it.